First impressions: Verizon’s LTE network [Updated]

On Sunday, Verizon will begin selling a USB modem that will let computer users access its next-generation wireless data network. Houston’s one of 38 cities that will be first in line with access to this service.

The network itself is already up and running, and on Thursday I received a review unit of the LG VL600 LTE modem and an HP Elitebook 8440p portable on which to use it. Unfortunately, the modem doesn’t yet work with Macs, so I can’t use with the notebook I normally use. Mac software’s on the way, Verizon says.

I’ll offer a full review in my Computing column on Tuesday, as well as some thoughts on the early state of so-called 4G wireless networks.

Here are some initial impressions after cavorting in Verizon’s fast lane for a while.

• The LG modem is surprisingly large. A cap over the USB plug snaps up, and when you plug it into a port on your notebook, it will almost certainly block other ports. Fortunately, the package comes with a USB extension cable so the modem can be used without hogging so much space.

• If you’ve used Verizon’s broadband data products before, the VZAccess Manager software will be familiar. It can handle Wi-Fi and Verizon’s data network connections, including both LTE and the company’s established EVDO service. It also provides you with usage statistics, so you can quickly see how much data you’ve slurped. That’s very important, as I’ll address later.

• And yeah, this network is fast. It’s really fast. I did a variety of speed tests from both Speedtest.net and Speakeasy and averaged around 11 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up. My best test was on Speakeasy, connecting to a server in Dallas, where I got 18.36 Mbps down and 6.7 Mbps up. That’s as good, and at times better, than my 16-Mbps Comcast cable-modem connection at home.

Now, keep in mind that Verizon’s LTE network still hasn’t launched. There are relatively few people using it in any given area, so numbers that high aren’t what you’ll see once it matures. Verizon executives say early adopters will see these extraordinary speeds, but once the network’s well-populated, speeds around 8 Mbps will be the norm.

• How fast is the LTE network, in practical terms. I was able to download a copy of the latest version of the Ubuntu Linux operating system, which is almost 700 MB, in about 5 minutes. A download of the developer version of Google’s Chrome browser, about 8 MB, took just a few seconds. I spent about 15 minutes streaming The Exorcist via Netflix’s Watch Instantly service, and the quality of the video was excellent. For all practical purposes, Verizon’s LTE network is just as zippy as my Comcast network at home.

• However, Verizon’s LTE network isn’t priced to be used as your main source of Internet access. In about 30 minutes of tests, I blew through more than a 1 gigabyte of data, or 20 percent of the allotment for Verizon’s lowest-tier LTE service – 5 GB for $50. Obviously, I was deliberately downloading large files, such as the Ubuntu distribution, as a test. That’s not something most users would do every day. But if you’re a road warrior relying on your notebook for work during the day and entertainment at night, you’ll want to keep a close eye on how much data you use.

If you use Netflix’s streaming service, for example, you need to know that the quality of the video is adjusted based the speed of your connection. Netflix delivers better video to faster connections, which translates into more data coming down the pipe. Watching a few movies in your hotel room on a business trip could easily put you into overage territory. And once you’re over the limit, additional gigabytes cost $10 each.

• I have only tried the service from two locations – the offices of the Houston Chronicle and my home near downtown. I haven’t had a chance to roam the city with it, which I’ll do this weekend. But, I was impressed with how well I was able to get a strong signal from my desk at work, which is in the center of the Chronicle building’s fifth floor. Neither T-Mobile’s HSPA+ nor Sprint/Clear’s WiMax provide a usable signal there. LTE seems to do a very good job of penetrating buildings.

I’ll have the LTE modem and the HP notebook at tonight’s Geek Gathering, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Coffee Groundz. If you’d like to see it firsthand, stop by and have a look.

Update: Whoa. I’ve been doing some further speed tests while working on my upcoming column and got Speakeasy test speeds as high as 41 Mbps down! I checked with Verizon to see if those kinds of speeds are even possible, and a spokeswoman said yes, they’re real. However, because they don’t represent what the LTE network will be like once it’s loaded down with real customers, Verizon isn’t touting those speeds.